The ruling on limiting oneself to reading in the pursuit of knowledge

Question:
May Allah reward you. One of the brothers sent this phrase and says: What is the opinion of your Eminence, Shaykh Salih, of this phrase that is on the tongues of some students of knowledge, which is: “Whoever’s shaykh is the book has strayed from the truth”?

Answer:
This is correct. They say: “Whoever’s shaykh is his book has more errors than correct statements.” This is a correct saying. It is not permissible for a student of knowledge to limit himself to reading and studying books; rather, he must learn these books and read them to the scholars, receiving their explanation and clarification from the scholars, and not take knowledge from books alone. Or take knowledge from those who think they are scholars, who read in books and assume they have become scholars, and speak about what is lawful and forbidden and about issues without insight. Yes. They misguide and are misguided. These are not scholars. Yes.